The UAE tightens the nose around government critics in 2016

The UAE authorities arbitrarily restricted freedom of expression, arresting and prosecuting government critics. 

According to Amnesty report, UAE security forces continued in 2016 to arrest dozens of people, including foreign nationals and peaceful government critics, and subjected them to enforced disappearance. They were detained incommunicado in secret locations, in some cases for more than a year.

In August, Dr Nasser bin Ghaith, an academic, economist and former prisoner of conscience, was subjected to enforced disappearance by state security officers after he criticized “Arab dictators” on Twitter. His whereabouts remained undisclosed at the end of the year.

Some of those who were formerly subjected to enforced disappearance said security officials had tortured and otherwise ill-treated them in detention. 

The authorities denied they had used torture, and failed to independently investigate, ignoring the recommendation of the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers that the government should appoint an independent committee of experts to investigate allegations of torture.